Contra Costa County Office of Education

During the past three decades of documented brain research, our nation validated the importance of early experiences in determining life and school success for all children, especially for those children who live in poverty and are impacted by allied risk factors. Based on this newly understood importance of early childhood education, we as a nation are focused on developing, piloting and sustaining comprehensive and equitable infrastructures to improve quality of early care and education programs. Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) Model is one system framework that embraces this mission at the state-level.

 

A collaborated effort between the Contra Costa County Office of Education, First 5 Contra Costa and CoCoKids, the Quality Matters (QM) campaign supports and promotes quality early care and education for children age 5 and under in Contra Costa County.

 

Support and incentives are offered to early child care programs who participate in the Quality Matters to encourage increased standards in child care. Programs are rated on their current quality and are assisted in ways to improve their rating. The voluntary program offers training, coaching, support and advising services.

 

Contra Costa County’s Quality Matters Initiative establishes standards that support developmentally appropriate practices for infants, toddlers and preschool age children. It provides a Quality Continuum Framework for early care and education professionals to identify opportunities for improvement and to continue developing the skills and competencies that support them and their program to make changes that promote high-quality standards.

The Quality Matters Initiative supports the professional development of staff working at participating in QIS programs through trainings, seminars and by offering additional on-site services such as coaching, professional growth advising, and support developing embedded reflective practice strategies.

Additionally, programs that voluntarily choose to participate in the Quality Matters Initiative receive financial incentives for quality improvement efforts.

The Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) partners with First 5 Contra Costa, CocoKids, and the three local Community Colleges to administer the county's Quality Matters QRIS Initiative.

Contra Costa's Quality Rating and Improvement system is focused on nurturing and promoting a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) mindset among early care and education providers with an emphasis on three main categories:

1. Child Development and School Readiness

2. Teachers and Teaching

3. Program and Environment

There are more than 100 licensed childcare programs in Contra Costa County participating in the Quality Matters Initiative. In a QRIS system, childcare programs elements of quality, such as teacher-child ratios, teacher qualifications, the program's environment and activities, and teacher-child interactions.

Most of the sites participating in the Quality Matters Initiative are located in low-income communities or serve children with high needs, a priority of the grants provided. Ratings will be published to the public. Expanding QRIS to all licensed childcare programs is a priority at the statewide level and will require significant state or federal funding.

The California ECE Workforce Registry is a state, regional and local collaboration designed to track and promote the education, training and experience of the early care and education workforce for the purpose of improving professionalism and workforce quality to positively impact children.

Sign up for the Workforce Registry at www.caregistry.org